The latest topic in the media for the past two weeks has been God speaking to people. Before it is laid to rest, I wanted to quickly weigh in on it.
Here’s the quick recap, in case you’ve been out of the country and missed it. On February 15, 2018, Joy Behar from the popular television show, The View, said of Vice President Mike Pence, if he believes that God speaks to him, it’s called Mental Illness (paraphrased).
Mocking a Christian’s faith has almost become commonplace in recent times. It seems that many other faiths can live out their beliefs without judgment or unkind words, except those of the Christian faith. Regardless of why this happens, here’s how God “speaks”. Really He does!
In the New Testament of the bible we are taught about having a relationship with God, one that consists of a dialog, not a monologue. In more than one place it is written, that we need to quiet ourselves and listen for the voice of God, for He will speak to us. In the Old Testament in 1Kings 18 and 19 it’s described as a still small voice as opposed to thunder and lightening. For a Christian, this is the norm. Maybe Mike Pence was the only one brave enough to say it so openly and matter of fact.
I remember years ago, a friend of mine, a Christian, had to take a psychological exam to be hired for the FDNY. One of the questions posed was if he believed God spoke to him. My friend, knowing what they were looking for, (him hearing an audible voice) said no and he hated having to answer that way. Most of us are well aware, that many mental illnesses present themselves with a person hearing an audible voice from “God”, telling them to do something. This is a sad reality for mentally ill people, but it doesn’t come close to what most Christians mean when they say they hear from God. If more of us spoke about it more freely among, it wouldn’t seem so crazy, or carry such a negative stigma. So just in case you hear it said that God spoke, and they are clearly not suffering from mental illness, this is what is meant.
How does God speak?
And, let me say that when God does speak in response to something that has been in your heart, there is a profound certainty that comes along with it for the believer. They just know it was God!
This is by no means an exhaustive list after all He’s God and can use anyway He chooses but I hope these few examples have brought a little more clarity and understanding to this latest hot button topic. Yes God does speak and it becomes just part of the Normal Christian Life.
#Godspeaks #really #Joybehar #notmentalillness #Stillsmallvoice #thenormalchristianlife #rewardscoaching #reginastafford